There were a few of us in Iraq. I had the FSM on the side of my Kevlar (or whatever the hell the new acronym for it is these days). I also spent at least part of my day visiting with both our chaplain (Who was something something United something...basically like laid back Episcopalians) and he thought the FSM was brilliant. Of course, we had to discuss the differences between the FSM and the IPU.

He also turned me on to a band from England called Jade Warrior. Very Pink Floyd-esqe.

I am still technically in the Army, and go to reserve drill once a month, and gimp about on my cane.

There are many military pastafarians. I do suggest you go the the AKO forums, and look under the Military Pagans page. I created it personally, way back in the day. I know there are some Pastafarian threads under there. The DoD only acknowledges perhaps ten thousand pagans across all branches, which is silly, but there you go.

As far as people of other faiths, to include Muslims....well, I am pretty sure the Noodly One is far more open to new ideas and he is not a vain or jealous god.

As far as getting either the Pirate Fish or the traditional FSM emblem on a gravestone at a military funeral? It only took the pagans twenty five or so years, so somebody better get cracking.

I plan on being cremated, and after that, I do not really care. I nearly gave my Catholic mother a heart attack when I told her she could just roll the car window down and dump my ashes into the breeze. My wife has told her that we both refuse to be kept in a pretty urn on a mantlepiece somewhere. Now that is creepy.

Sorry if I'm putting on my lawyer hat too quickly, but you might want to have some binding cremation instructions in place. Fights over treatment of a body are rare but emotionally devastating. In Virginia, you could sign a burial power of attorney; traditionally the decisions fall to the executor named in your will. Make sure you have the right people making decisions.

I be in the UK Military, served in the great sea of sand called Afghanistan, sailed back to the Uk only to sail to the Falklands, now I've sailed all the way to the USA in a skyship for 3 months, It would appeear I be a land lover !!